2013 UAAP FINALS GAME 3: Puso for UST, Height's Might for DLSU

Here are some significant factors that could decide the sudden-death Game Three winner:

REBOUNDING – No rebounds, no rings. La Salle has outrebounded UST in both games – 44-43 in Game One and 57-39 in Game Two, including a 27-10 edge off the offensive glass that allowed the Green Archers to pick up 18 second-chance points (against UST’s six).

OFFENSE – Undoubtedly Jeric Teng is UST’s meal ticket. Unfortunately, Aljon Mariano (5.5 ppg) has had a hard time shadowing newcomer Mythical Five choice Jason Perkins (9.0 ppg) so much so the wear and tear has affected his scoring significantly. He and three-point bomber Clark Bautista (4.5 ppg) need to step up offensively if the Growling Tigers are to give graduating Jeric Teng a nice farewell gift.

DEFENSE – La Salle’s hefty and beefy Big Three of Arnold Van Opstal (13.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg), Norbert Torres (9.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg)) and first-year Mythical Five choice Jason Perkins (9.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg) will play as physical as the referees will allow them. UST has its own big men in Abdul, Mariano, Paulo Pe and Kent Lao but they have been unable to match the opposing side’s toughness.

HEART OF A CHAMPION - “Puso,” UST bench maestro says his Growling Tigers have. But is their heart bigger than those of the La Salle players? Both teams are as hungry as ever. UST has not won since 2006 and La Salle has not reigned supreme since 2007. No “pusong manon” here. Crybabies can go home early. The time to cry is when a title has been won.

TURNOVERS – Minimize the turnovers, especially the unforced ones. Turnovers are a recipe for disaster.

FREE THROW SHOOTING – Make the free throws. In a close game that Game Three will likely turn out to be, the misses may haunt a team at the end. La Salle has often struggled from the line this season.

ROTATION – UST coach Pido Jarencio shares the wealth and often stretches his rotation to as many as 11 men. DLSU bench honcho Juno Sauler, on the other hand, would rather go no more than eight or nine. In Game Two, his only substitutes were Norbert Torres and Thomas Torres. Matthew Salem, who is recovering from a bout with mumps, has yet to see action in the series.

HEIGHT – UST owns a respectable frontline corps but ring leader Abdul can’t get the job done inside by his lonesome. He needs Mariano and Pe to toughen up against DLSU’s Big Three with their own brand of physicality. Van Opstal, Norbert Torres and Perkins, to an extent, mimic the Los Angeles Lakers’ Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom during their NBA championship years in 2009 and 2010. Height is might and so look for La Salle to continue to push the ball inside with low-post plays from Norbert Torres, Van Opstal and Perkins or kick it out to Jeron for his slashing acts and Vosotros (15.5 ppg), LA Revilla (6.5 ppg) and even Perkins for their long-range bombs. Early foul trouble by the big men of either side can quickly change the complexion of the game.

HUSTLE POINTS – It’s the last game of the season. Give it all for there’s no tomorrow for the loser. It does not show up in the stats line, but getting a majority of the loose or so-called 50-50 balls can energize a team in a jiffy.

Coach Pido celebrated with "San Miguel Beer" too early in the series. Miscalculated LA SALLE's ability to recover.
3 point shooting accuracy only way UST can neutralize LA SALLE's height advantage in rebounding.
Momentum has now shifted to LA SALLE's favor.
Battle for control in the 1st Quarter is crucial for the rest of the game.
Can Coach Pido and his coaching staff make the right adjustments???